exhibition

Olgaç Bozalp
Leaving One For Another

Why do people leave their homes to go to another place? In Leaving One For Another, artist Olgaç Bozalp explores how people feel about their own culture and moving to another country. Come and see the series at MAQAM, a creative space in Amsterdam-West.

Indonesia, May 2016  © Olgaç Bozalp
Indonesia, May 2016Olgaç Bozalp
Girls, Malta, December 2021 © Olgaç Bozalp
Girls, Malta, December 2021Olgaç Bozalp
Çelenk, Istanbul, October 2021 © Olgaç Bozalp
Çelenk, Istanbul, October 2021Olgaç Bozalp
Baris, October 2021 © Olgaç Bozalp
Baris, October 2021Olgaç Bozalp

In the series, the artist explores the cultural identity of transmigrants and their reasons for leaving their homeland. Drawing upon his personal experiences as a migrant, Bozalp combines staged and documentary photography to present emotive matters of migration and finding a home in new environments.

About the artist

Olgaç Bozalp (b. 1987, Turkey) is a visual artist with a fictional approach to documentary photography. His photographic research explores topics connected to travel, cultural identity, and migration. Through the juxtaposition of Western and non-Western beauty, masculinity, and femininity, his art promotes a more diversified understanding of these concepts and challenges their traditional roles.

Olgaç became Foam Talent in 2022. His photographs have been published by T Magazine, Dazed, Le Monde, and Atmos as well as exhibited in Aperture Gallery, Unseen, National Portrait Gallery and Sharjah Art Foundation.

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Self Portrait, Disneyland, CA, July 2021 © Olgaç Bozalp, courtesy of the artist

Read the article A Closer Look at the Work of Olgaç Bozalp by Incisu Dilem Üzüm Veldhuizen

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From the series Leaving One for Another © Olgaç Bozalp

Kısmet

Dad in search of Hüseyin and Leaving One For Another are part of Kısmet, a multi-year project that was created by artist Ahmet Polat and further developed in collaboration with Foam. It was initiated based on the longstanding cultural, diplomatic and economic connections between Turkey and the Netherlands. Through research, outreach, and exhibitions, Kısmet focuses on the complex and rich perspectives of Turkish visual culture, as seen through the perspective of different generations of image makers.

About MAQAM

MAQAM is a creative space for local residents, talent and creatives in the heart of Kolenkit, Amsterdam. Foam organizes exhibitions and activities in MAQAM together with residents, schools and other communities of Amsterdam West.

The exhibition 'Leaving One For Another' is part of Kısmet, a close collaboration between Studio Polat and Foam. Kısmet has been made possible by the generous support of the Mondriaan Fund.

The exhibition is made possible by Kleurgamma Fine-Art Photolab.

Foam is supported by the VriendenLoterij, Foam Members, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, VandenEnde Foundation and the Gemeente Amsterdam.


group of people standing in field with pink sky and metallic covers

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Olgaç Bozalp
Leaving One For Another